Manufacture of structural units



Aug. 12, 1959 c. STUCKY ET AL 3,460,308

MANUFACTURE OF STRUCTURAL UNITS Filed Aug. 9, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 m VENT R S FRITZ (HRISTQPH 5mm KENNETH Wfifl/E NELSON THE/B ATT RNEYS Aug. 12, 1969 c. STUCKY ErAl. 3,460,308

mnumcwuas OF STRUCTURAL uums Filed Aug. 9. 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS FRITZ cumsnom ST KY KENNETH WAY/vi NELSON 3 ia m1 Aw THE/E ATmRA/Eys Aug. 12, 1969 F. C. STUCKY ET AL MANUFACTURE OF STRUCTURAL unn's Filed Aug. 9. 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Hc: iii

INVENTORS Fenz awe/57 m swmr KENNETH WWW/5 Aug. 12, 199 F. c. STUCKY ETAL 3,460,308

MANUFACTURE OF STRUCTURAL UNITS Filed Aug. 9, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 puny 7 5 Fen'z CHRISToPH KENNETH um rw. ME N THE/,6 fifmm crg United States Patent @f US. Cl. 52-745 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSURE Prefabricated structural building units composed of a horizontal floor panel member and vertical end members which are assembled to precise dimensional and angular tolerances by first rigidly positioning the members with their major surfaces parallel to precisely established reference planes. The reference planes are preferably defined by spaced-apart points or relatively small areas in space, such as stop elements forming a part of a jig. The floor panel member is formed to a dimension between the ends thereof where it is joined to the end members which with the maximum plus tolerance included is not in excess of a predetermined dimension. With the members rigidly positioned in precise locations, the end members are then joined to the floor panel member.

Background of the invention This invention concerns the manufacture of structural units for use in civil engineering, including building, comprising a prefabricated panel and a prefabricated end member secured to an end of the panel to occupy a plane normal to the general plane of the panel. Such units are hereinafter referred to as structural units of the kind defined. Specifically the invention relates to such structural units having an end member aforesaid secured to each end of the panel.

The invention is particularly concerned with problems arising when such units are or are adapted to be incorporated in transportable prefabricated room elements. The expression transportable room element is employed herein to define a transportable cell-like structure having a floor, and preferably a roof or ceiling, and comprising at its opposed ends load-bearing end-wall-forming means, forming or adapted to support a Wall or other closure, and rigidly connected to the floor at each of said ends, which room element is adapted to be mounted, at one or each of its opposed sides, side-by-side with a further such room element for the purpose of building up a one storey building or a storey of a plural-storey building from a succcssion of such elements; the expression end-wall forming means includes a complete end wall and also includes vertical load-bearing pillars or columns adapted to have fill-in panelling applied to or formed integrally with them,'

for example thereby to form a wall; the expression fill-in panelling (when used with reference to the said walls or end-wall-forming means) includes a door or a window. Such room elements form the subject of United States patent applications Nos. 470,815, filed July 9, 1965, and 469,528, filed Nov. 6, 1964, and United States Patent No. 3,377,755, to which reference may be made as disclosing constructions to which this invention is applicable.

The said structural units are best built up from initially separate components (i.e. a floor panel, end-wall-forming members, and in some instances the roof or ceiling also) permanently connected together. They are of substantial size and weight (e.g. 9 feet wide, 9 feet high and 30 feet long, and weighing about 10 tons). Difiiculties therefore arise in manufacturing them to close dimensional and Patented Aug. 12, 1969 angular tolerances particularly if the components are pre cast in concrete and are large and heavy in themselves. Yet the cumulative effect of such tolerances may be substantial and serious, and to obtain the best results in a system of building construction using such units requires a manufacturing accuracy surpassing that so far achieved in the builling industry.

One over-riding reason is that this system of building construction is only justified if the amount of building work which is done on site is reduced to the absolute minimum. This object is only achieved when the room elements accurately fit on assembly at the critical points without having to resort to the usual method of filling gaps between adjacent elements with concrete.

The reasons why conventional methods are unable to achieve this object in the case of a room element, are as follows:

A floor panel may have a length of almost 10 meters and if its structural part is precast reinforced concrete, the manufacturing tolerance may well be :5 mm. by the time it is cured. The end members form among other things, the inside walls of the room elements. If joined to the floor panel in a conventional manner it follows that the adjacent inside walls of adjacent room elements which should be flush with one another, or at least not show steps of more than 2 mm., would be out of line by as much as 5-10 mm. Very similar problems are created by the necessity of matching the floor levels in adjacent room elements where steps are even more objectionable than in adjacent parts of a wall.

The second difficulty is created by the necessity of ensuring angular tolerances which have to be much closer than achievable by normal conventional means of building. This difiiculty would be present even if it were possible to manufacture components with extremely close linear tolerances. Nominally, at least two and usually all three main angles defining a three-dimensional structural unit should be equal to In a room element, for example, the two end members when joined to a floor panel should be at a right angle to its longitudinal axis, so that the major surfaces of the two end members should, on assembly, be parallel to one another. If this is not achieved there will again be, on one end or both, a step between adjacent internal walls. If this step is to be less than 2 mm. it is necessary to assemble the two end members in such manner that the cumulative angular errors are less than 2 or of 1. To achieve this with heavy components at a distance of up to almost 10 meters is virtually impossible by conventional means. Similar problems occur with the other space angles of a room element.

The third difficulty is the general one of accurate measuremcntsi.e., not only is the assembly to close tolerances almost impossible by conventional means, but so also is the verification by measurement of the linear dimensions and angles of a room element after assembly. The best means normally available are a steel tape and a good long spirit level. It can be shown that neither of these means is capable of verifying the close linear and angular tolerances mentioned, even if the components of the room element were manufactured to much closer tolerances than is in fact practicable.

With these and other difficulties in view, it is one object of the invention to provide a method of assembly which produces structural units the critical dimensions of which may be held to closer tolerances than the manufacturing tolerances of its individual components.

It is a further object of the invention to provide means of assembly by which the components of a structural unit may be accurately positioned and held prior to joining and without necessity for inspection by measurement.

It is a further object of the invention to accelerate the accurate assembly of structural units.

It can be shown that even after having manufactured the separate components to correct dimensions within the desired tolerances, there are at least eight problems of dimensional control and angular alignment which have to be solved during the assembly of a structural unit if the desired accuracy in its overall dimensions is to be obtained.

Up to now such assembly problems have been solved in the following manner; the initially separate compo nents, e.g., panel and end member, have been so designed that the surfaces to be joined were given a suitably shaped complementary profile in order to facilitate a close and accurate fit on assembly. Inevitably, the overall tolerances of the assembled structural unit have been wider than those of its components because of the cumulative effect of manufacturing and assembly tolerances.

In contradistinction to this usual procedure, the method according to the invention does not make any attempt at producing the eventual accuracy of the structural unit by providing close fitting profiles or registering surfaces. Nor is the unit assembled by placing one component in direct spatial relation to the other by using one as reference for the other, as will be apparent from the description.

Summary of the disclosure The invention provides, in the construction of a structural unit of the kind defined, a method of assembling and connecting the panel and end member in a jig as herein defined, which comprises rigidly positioning the panel in the jig at a controlled height and such as to be aligned to it longitudinally, transversely, and with regard to its horizontal level, rigidly positioning the end member in the jig at a controlled height and such as to be aligned to it vertically, axially, and with regard to its distance from the centre of the jig, and subsequently joining the end member to the panel, while they are rigidly held in the jig as aligned, such that the overall length and height of the assembled structural unit conforms to the desired value and the dimensional and angular relation between the panel and the end member in the assembly is as desired in all three dimensions.

More particularly, the fioor panel member is rigidly positioned with a major surface located substantially in a horizontally reference plane, which may be defined by spaced-apart stops on the jig used in carrying out the method. The end members are then rigidly positioned adjacent the ends of the floor panel member with a major surface of each parallel to generally vertical reference planes which are parallel to each other, perpendicular to the horizontal reference plane and to the longitudinal center line of the panel member, and spaced from each other a predetermined distance of known relation to the desired dimension between the end members. Thus, the end members are positioned relative to the floor member without regard to the dimensions of the members themselves but, rather, solely with reference to the locating reference planes. With the members so positioned, they are then joined together by an appropriate rigid, load-carrying joints.

An important feature of the invention is the initial fabrication of the several members with dimensions which take into account the maximum tolerances that can be maintained during fabrication. In particular, a critical dimension is the length of the unit between predetermined points on the end members. Generally, the measurement of the most significance is between the inside major surfaces of the end members, inasmuch as the assembly of two or more units in side-by-side relation without offsets in the interior wall of a room so formed requires maximum precision in both dimension and geometrical terms. According to the invention, the method embodies the step of fabricating the floor panel member to a dimension betolerances included is not in excess of a predetermined dimension.

A further aspect of precise location and joinder of the several members involves locating the end members at a controlled height with respect to the horizontal reference plane. Accordingly, the end members are at the proper height relative to the floor member, are at the proper height relative to the horizontal reference plane, are perpendicular to the horizontal reference plane, are parallel to each other and at a predetermined spacing from each other, all of these precise dimensional and geometric conditions being afforded by the method of the invention.

Certain expressions employed in this specification are defined as follows:

The panel is a rigid and essentially fiat member of po lygonal form in plan (and primarily rectangular or square) with two opposed longitudinal edges symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of a longitudinal axis of symmetry and two opposed end edges extending transversely of said axis. The expression panel includes a complete panel, and also includes horizontal load-bearing beams adapted to have fill-in panelling applied to or formed integrally with them.

Major surface when related to the panel means a surface (i.e. the top or bottom surface) which is bounded by the longitudinal edges and end edges of the panel.

Longitudinal alignment means that the longitudinal edges of the panel form the same angle with (e.g., are parallel to) the longitudinal axis of the jig (preferably within an angle of about 1') and that its ends are equidistant from the centre of the jig.

Transverse alignment means that the longitudinal edges of the panel are symmetrically disposed on 0pposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the jig (preferably within 2 mm.).

Horizontal level alignment means that the top sursurface of the panel is aligned to be horizontal (preferably within angles of about 0.5 in the longitudinal and about 2' in the transverse direction).

Controlled height where related to the panel means that the height (above the floor of the jig) of the panel, when properly aligned, is controlled to be of a predetermined value (preferably within 1 to 2 mm.).

The end member Vertical alignment means that the vertical axis of symmetry of the outward-facing surface (or surfaces) of the end member is at the desired angle, e.g., at a right angle, to the horizontal plane as defined (preferably to within 2.).

Axial alignment means that the outward-facing surface (or surfaces) of the end member are at the desired angles, e.g., at right angles, to the longitudinal axis of the jig (preferably to within an angle of 2) and that the vertical axis of symmetry of the end member lies in a vertical plane going through the longitudinal axis of the ig.

Controlled height where related to the end member means that the height (above the floor of the jig) of the support surface or surfaces of the unit is controlled to be at a predetermined value (preferably within 1 to 2 mm.).

Support surface means a bottom surface of the unit on which bottom surface the weight of the unit, when erected, rests and/or a top surface of the end member on which top surface the weight of a superimposed component (such, for example, in the case of a unit incorporated in a room element, as a roof or ceiling component or another room element) may rest.

Major surface" when related to the end member-means the outward-facing or inward-facing surface (or surfaces) of the end member in the completed unit.

Jig means an apparatus capable of holding structural elements in fixed positions accurately predetermined by suitable locating stops, clamps, or similar locating devices.

Longitudinal axis of the jig means the longitudinal axis of symmetry of the rectangle (or other polygon) defined by the surfaces of the stops determining the transverse alignment of the panel.

Centre of jig means the centre of the rectangle (or other polygon) defined by the stops determining the longitudinal and transverse alignments of the panel.

Floor of the jig means the horizontal (e.g., concrete) surface of the shop floor or a horizontal plane defined by fixed and horizontal surfaces of markers or stops mounted in the shop floor.

Horizontal means either strictly horizontal in the geometric sense, or parallel to an approximately horizontal plane of reference rigidly determined by fixed points in the jig.

In the application of this invention to structural units constituting or adapted to be incorporated into transportable prefabricated room elements as herein defined, the end member is to be identified with the end-wall-forming means.

Desirably, each end of the panel has an end member joined to it in the manner specified.

It is an important feature of this invention that the components (i.e., the panel and the end member or each end member) are so positioned in the jig that the joint between them incorporates at least one gap or clearance in which manufacturing tolerances of the components are taken up. The components may be so positioned in the "g that adjacent surfaces of them are separated by the gap or clearance. Specifically, they may be so positioned in the jig that a major surface of one component is separated from an end surface of the other component by the gap or clearance.

The joint may be, with one qualification, of any type that will withstand the stresses imposed on it during assembly, transport, erection, and use. The qualification is this: that the gap or clearance may vary sufiiciently to be able to take up the cumulative manufacturing tolerance of the two components. This is a necessity, because the gap or clearance cannot be predetermined independently, as in conventional joints wherein the two components to be joined are positioned by reference to each other. In the present invention they are individually positioned with reference to the jig, and the resultant gap or clearance between the components, prior to joining, therefore varies due to the cumulative manufacturing tolerances of these components and must be capable of taking up these cumulative tolerances without difiiculty.

Preferably the joint is made, wholly or in part, by disposing an adhesive filling (primarily one consisting of a mixture of an aggregate in a matrix of a setting adhesive) in the gap or clearance and this filling is permitted or caused to set to effect a permanent bond between the surfaces that are separated by the gap. The expression adhesive filling includes a quick setting cement; by a setting adhesive is meant a substance capable of setting or hardening from a soft or pasty state and, which when so set or hardened, forms a permanent bond with said surfaces. The setting adhesive may be an epoxy resin such as that made and sold under the name Aderit Special by Firma Meynadier. To form a quick-setting cement this resin is mixed with quartz sand as an aggregate in the proportion of one to one by weight. Other quick setting cements may be employed, particularly those having good fire-resistant or heat resistant properties.

The joint may comprise projecting elements on one component received in clearance holes in the other component, and the adhesive filling occupies the clearance between each element and the peripheral surface of its hole. Such a joint forms the subject matter of copending United States patent application Ser. No. 470,815 (to which reference may be made for further particulars).

Especially if the foregoing joint is employed the end member (or each of them) may be positioned in a retracted movable component of the jig with the distance between its outward-facing surface and the centre of the jig greater than that eventually required, and this movable component is then advanced into a position, predetermined by stops in the jig, such that the end member is presented in the required relation in the jig with a gap or clearance between the inward-facing surface of the end member and an end of the panel and the joint between the end member and the panel is then made.

Although the projecting elements and holes may extend at right angles to the major surface of the panel, it is preferred that they extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of the jig: in which case the retracted position of the movable component of the jig is preferably such that the projecting elements are aligned with, but do not project into, the holes and said elements are caused to enter their holes by the aforesaid advance.

The advance may be such that at its termination a small gap is left between adjacent faces of the end member and the end of the panel, and these adjacent faces are bonded together by adhesive filling in the gap. The provision of this gap is useful in permitting the members to be brought to the predetermined spatial relation such, for example, as angular relation between them and a relation ensuring that the finished article has the desired dimensions.

However, it is possible to employ a joint (such for example as that forming the subject matter of United States Patent No. 3,377,755, to which reference may be made for further particulars, and preferably employing a quick-setting cement) which does not necessitate the above described movement of the end member. In such a case, the end member (or each of them) may be inserted into the jig by movement in a plane substantially normal to the general plane of the panel and fixed in an end component of the jig in the required relation to the panel and with the overall length of the assembly conforming to the required value.

The present invention is particularly applicable when the components are made of concrete, primarily reinforced concrete. The projecting elements aforesaid may be made of metal. The clearance hole aforesaid may be constituted by the bore of a metal tube embedded in the said other member. The surface of said element and the peripheral surface of the hole are desirable such as to provide, at least in part, a mechanical bond between them and the filling.

While it is Within the scope of this invention to introduce the adhesive filling into the aforesaid clearance hole before the projecting element is inserted in the latter, yet preferably the adhesive is introduced into the hole subsequent to the insertion of the projecting elementfor example by injecting it into the clearance while in its soft or pasty state by the use of a suitable pressure gun.

This invention also provides, in the construction of a structural unit of the kind defined, a method of assembling and connecting together the panel and end member in a jig in such manner that the dimensions of the unit conform to the desired values, which comprises rigidly positioning the panel and end member by locating devices in the jig to comply with the following conditions: (a) an end of the end member is presented in such close proximity to an end of the panel as to be capable of being joined thereto, (b) a major surface of the panel substantially occupies a spatial plane predetermined by the jig, (c) the longitudinal and transverse centre lines of the panel substantially coincide with the longitudinal and transverse centre lines of the jig, (d) a major surface of the end member substantially occupies a second spatial plane predetermined by the jig and normal to the first plane and spaced from the transverse centre line of the jig by a predetermined distance, (e) the end member is symmetrically disposed transversely in relation to a third spatial plane, predetermined by the jig, and which is Z normal to both the first and second spatial planes and contains the longitudinal centre line of the jig (f) a support surface of the end member is spaced from the first spatial plane by distance which is predetermined by the jig; and rigidly joining the said end of the end member to the said end of the panel while the end member and panel are held in the foregoing conditions in the jig.

Desirably, the end member is joined to the panel at locations spaced at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the jig.

This invention also includes the product of the method hereinbefore set forth, and a jig for carrying out that method.

In order that the invention may be better understood reference will now be made to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the jig;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevation,

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view,

FIGURE 5 is an exploded view (all on a larger scale) showing one form of joint, and

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view of a further joint.

The jig shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings is designed for the assembly and connection of a pre-cast reinforced concrete floor panel 10 of substantially rectangular plan form and two pre-cast reinforced concrete upright end-wall-forming members indicated generally at 11. The panel 10 has longitudinal and transverse axes of symmetry and each end member 11 has a vertical axis of symmetry. In the illustrated construction, each of these members 11 consists of a pair of load-bearing upright columns 11a joined by an integral horizontal member 11b.

In the finished structural unit for a transportable room element, the aperture defined by these three parts 11a, 111) may be occupied by fill-in paneling and/or a window, door or the like, or in the alternative such till-in panelling may be formed integrally with said parts. It will be understood that the top and bottom surfaces of the uprights 11a constitute the support surfaces hereinbefore defined. In erecting a plural storey building from room elements each of which incorporates a structural unit 10, 11 such as is illustrated in FIG. 1, the uprights 11a of the room elements in successive stories stand (directly or indirectly) one on another.

The jig is provided near each corner with a hydraulic jack 12 on which the floor panel is mounted and by which it is raised above the floor of the jig until its top surface occupies a spatial plane defined by stops 13a, 13b disposed one near each corner and arranged to overlie the top surface of the panel. Thus, this top surface isbrought to the required horizontal level alignment. These stops are displaceable transversely of the panel to permit the latter to be deposited on the jacks 12. Stops 13a are arranged to engage and position one longitudinal edge of the panel so as to secure a transverse alignment of the panel in which its longitudinal axis of symmetry is substantially coincident with the longitudinal axis of the jig. These stops may be adjustable for widthwise spacing so as to adapt the jig to panels of differing widths.

The endwise position of the panel 10 is determined by at least one stop 14 which engages one end edge of the panel, the panel being urged against this stop 14 by a clamp 15. Thus the transverse centre line of the panel is made to coincide substantially with the transverse centre line of the jig. Stop 14 may be adjustable lengthwise of the jig so as to adapt the latter to panels of differing lengths.-

At each end the jig has a movable vertical component indicated generally at 16 (having a base 161:) which is displaceable longitudinally of the jig on guide tracks 17 between a retracted loading position and an advanced operative position which is determined by stops 18 which may be adjustable lengthwise of the jig.

Each end member 11 is mounted in its movable component 16 with the lower faces of its uprights 11a resting on suitable locating faces 16b on the movable component 16. These bottom faces are the support surfaces of the unit and it will be understood that they are thus disposed at a controlled height in relation to the upper surface of the panel 10.

Each end member is clamped in its movable component, with its vertical outer-facing surface against stops 19, by clamps 20. It is positioned widthwise by upper and lower stops 21 (which may be adjustable) so that its vertical centre line lies in the required plane relative to the longitudinal centre line of the jig and the panel, being held by clamps 22. The member 11 is also clamped down by clamps 23 which engage the top surfaces of the uprights 11a. In order to permit the end member to be inserted into its movable position component clamps 20 may be movable to an inoperative position in any suitable manner. Stops 21 may be constituted by clamps. Thus clamps 21, and 22, may be employed to squeeze in, or push out, the lower ends of uprights 11a to desired positions.

When the panel 10 has been mounted in the jig, and each of the end members 11 has been mounted in its movable component with the latter in its retracted loading position (as at the left hand end of FIG. 1) the movable components are advanced to the operative positions (as at the right hand end of FIG. 1) determined by the stops 18, so that the lower ends of the end members are presented in such close proximity to the ends of the panel as to be capable of being rigidly joined thereto and the conditions hereinbefore set out are complied with. Matters are so arranged that there is a small gap between the inner face of each end member and the adjacent end face of the panel. This gap will vary with the dimensional tolerances of manufacture of the several components of the unit. However, it permits the end members and the panel to be brought to the required spacial relation in the jig and the lengthwise dimension between the outer faces of the two end members to be accurately lined.

One form of joint that may be employed is illustrated in FIGS. 3-5. The inner face of each upright 11a is provided near its lower end with a metal plate 25 welded to its reinforcement, and at each corner the panel 10 is provided with a metal plate 26 also welded to the reinforcement of the panel. When the parts have been brought to the desired relation a metal angle 27 is welded to these two plates 25, 26; it will be appreciated that this may readily be done irrespective of manufacturing tolerances in the two components. Adjacent to the undersurface of the panel, an internally screw threaded sleeve 28 is cast into the panel and is desirably welded to the reinforcement thereof. The bottom end of each upright 11a is provided with a registering clearance hole 29 and a bolt 30 is passed through this clearance hole and is screwed into the sleeve 28. It will be appreciated that the clearance between bolt 3%) and its hole 29 permits dimensional and angular tolerances, in the panel and end member, to be taken up.

The gap between the end face of the panel 10 and the vertical inner face of the upright 11a is shown at 31 and this gap may be grouted with the aforesaid adhesive filling which provides a permanent bond betwen these adjacent faces. This adhesive filling may be injected into the gap after the parts have been brought to the desired relation or alternatively it may be applied to one of the two faces so as to be squeezed out to fill the gap as the parts move towards the required relation. One or more distance pieces or shims, transfixed by bolt 30, may be disposed in the gap 31 between said adjacent faces.

The joint illustrated in FIGS. 3-5 does not necessitate the end components 16 of the jig being movable. Each component 16 may be fixed, the member 11 being inserted into it by movement substantially in its own plane, and then being clamped in the end component.

In FIG. 6 there is shown an alternative joint (which is according to copending United States patent application Ser. No. 470,815).

Near each corner the panel 10 has upper and lower projecting metal rods 32, 33 which are desirably welded to the reinforcement of the panel, said reinforcement being indicated at 34. Corresponding upper and lower clearance holes 35, 36 are formed in the bottom end of each upright 11a. The retracted loading position of each end component 16 of the jig is such that when the end member 11 is fixed therein, the holes 35, 36 are aligned with the rods 32, 33 but the rods are not entered therein. As the movable end component 16 carrying with it the end member 11 is advanced to the operative position, the rods 32, 33 enter the clearance holes until the stage illustrated in FIG. 6 is reached. The clearance between the peripheries of the protruding ends of these rods when received in the holes and the peripheral surface of te received in the holes and the peripheral surface of the holes themselves is filled with the aforesaid adhesive filling which makes a permanent bond with these surfaces. Additionally, such adhesive filling is introduced into the gap 31 so as to make a permanent bond between the adjacent faces of the two parts. It will be appreciated that the provision of the clearance holes provides for considerable latitude in the relative positioning of the two components 10 and 11, and although in the drawing the protruding ends of the rods 32, 33 are shown as being concentrically disposed within the holes 35, 36 this for the sake of illustration only and in practice the rods will not necessarily be concentrically disposed in the holes. The adhesive filling may be introduced into the holes before the rods are received therein. Alternatively it may be injected after the rods have been received in the holes.

Since the adhesive filling must make an effective bond between the protruding ends of the rods and the surfaces of the holes, the surfaces of the holes are suitably shaped or roughened so as to assist in such a bond and in particular so as to produce, at least in part, a mechanical bond. Thus in FIG. 6 the holes are shown as being provided with a groove or grooves into which the adhesive filling may key. Alternatievly the holes may he stepped or tapered. The protruding ends of the rods may be likewise formed to facilitate the bond. For example they may be of square cross-sectional shape and may be twisted. The holes may be formed by metal tubes or sleeves 39 cast into the member 11.

The adjacent faces of the panel 10 and end member 11 may be provided with metal plates 37, 38 welded to the reinforcement so that the adhesive filling introduced into the gap 31 makes a bond between these metal plates.

Each rod should be cemented into its hole over a length corresponding to above twelve times its approximate diameter. The minimum thickness of the annular layer of adhesive filling surrounding each protruding rod, and of the layer within the gap 31, is preferably about 3 mm.

It is of course important that, in order to provide a locked joint between members 10 and 11 when disposed as shown in FIG. 6, there shall be two protruding rods 32, 33 spaced apart height-wise of these members. The distance between the centres of these rods should be as great as possible within the limits imposed by the vertical thickness of floor panel 10 and having regard to the fact that these rods and their clearance holes must be adequately buried in members 10, 11 so as to prevent their breaking out. Desirably this distance is not less than 20 cm.

The members 23, hereinbefore described as clamps, may be employed to determine, or to measure, the height of the uprights 11a.

Thus there may be applied, to the top surface of each upright 11a, a pad of a mouldable substance (such as the aforesaid adhesive filling) and the member 23 then lowered to a predetermined level so as to squeeze this pad until the distance between its upper surface and the under surface of the upright 11a is as required. The pad is then permitted to set and to bond with the material of the upright, precautions being taken to prevent it bonding to the surface of member 23.

Alternatively, the member 23 (being fixed in or brought to a predetermined position) may constitute a height gauge. The distance between the upper surface of uprigh 11a and the under surface of member 23 may be meas ured and a visible record of it marked on the upright. In the subsequent erection of a building, this record indicates the thickness of a distance piece or shims that should be placed on top of the upright to bring it to a required level.

Alternatively the uprights 11a may be ground, or otherwise machined, to the required dimensions before assembly.

It will be appreciated that the various stops and locating faces in the jig fulfil the following functions:

Stops 13a, 13b define the horizontal level alignment and the controlled height of the panel, and determine the spatial plane that its upper surface occupies in the ig.

Stops 13a in conjunction with stop 14 determine the longitudinal alignment of the panel.

Stops 13a determine the transverse alignment of the panel and ensure that its longitudinal centre line substantially coincides with the longitudinal centre line of the jig.

Stop 14 in conjunction with claim 15 ensures that the transverse centre line of the panel substantially coincides with the transverse centre line of the jig.

Stops 19 determine the vertical alignment of each end member and ensure that its outward-facing surface occupies a second spatial plane, normal to the first spatial plain, in the jig.

Stops '19 in conjunction with stops 21 determine the axial alignment of each end member.

Stops 21 ensure that each end member is symmetrically disposed, in the jig, transversely in relation to a third spatial plane which is normal to the first and second spatial planes and contains the longitudinal centre line of the jig.

Locating faces 16b determine the controlled height of each end member and ensure that the underneath surfaces thereof are spaced, in the jig, from the first spatial plane by a predetermined distance.

Stops 19 in conjunction with stops 18 determine the horizontal distance control of each end member and ensure that its outward-facing surface is spaced from the transverse centre line of the jig by a predetermined distance.

Stop 25 ensures that the transverse centre line of the panel substantially coincides with the transverse centre line of the jig.

Stops 19 determine the vertical alignment of each end member and ensure that its outward-facing surface occupies a second spatial plane, normal to the first spatial plane, in the jig.

Stops 19 in conjunction with stops 21 determine the axial alignment of each end member.

Stops 21 ensure that each end member is symmetrically disposed, in the jig, transversely in relation to a third spatial plane which is normal to the first and second spatial planes and contains the longitudinal centre line of the jig.

Locating faces 16b determine the controled height of each end member and ensure that the underneath surfaces thereof are spaced, in the jig, from the first spatial plane by a predetermined distance.

Stops 19 in conjunction with stops 18 determine the horizontal distance control of each end member and ensure that its outward-facing surface is spaced from the transverse centre line of the jig by a predetermined distance.

What We claim is:

1. A method of making a transportable prefabricated building unit having precise predetermined dimensions and angular relationships between the components in an assembly apparatus so as to provide an accurate fit with adjacent similar units, said unit including a horizontal panel member and a vertical end member at each of the opposite ends of the panel member, said method comprising establishing a generally horizontal reference plane with said assembly apparatus, positioning the panel member with one major surface parallel to the horizontal reference plane in said apparatus and at a controlled height with respect to the horizontal reference plane, establishing two generally vertical reference planes parallel to each other with said apparatus, said vertical planes being perpendicular to the horizontal reference plane and to the longitudinal centerline of the panel member and spaced from each other a predetermined distance of known relation to the longitudinal extent of the building unit, rigidly positioning each of the end members closely adjacent the respective ends of the panel member with one major surface of each parallel to one of the vertical reference planes, positioning the bottom surfaces of the end members in said horizontal reference plane, joining the vertical end members to the respective adjacent ends of the panel member while so held in such rigid positions such that the overall length and height of the assembled structural unit and the angular relation of the end and panel members conform accurately to the predetermined dimensions and angular relationships, and removing the assembled structure as a unit from the assembly apparatus for transportation to a building site and assembly with similar building units.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the end members are joined to the panel member by applying an adhesive material between adjacent portions of the members.

3. A method according to claim 1 including the step of positioning the panel member with its major surface andend surfaces located in known position with respect to the horizontal reference plane, positioning one end member in a movable component of the assembly apparatus and advancing the end member in the movable component to the -said rigid position adjacent to one end surface of the panel member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,035,766 8/1912 Baltzer 52122 X 2,413,562 12/1946 Henderson 52-587 X 2,428,374 10/ 1947 Malthouse 52-747 2,497,887 2/1950 Hilpert 52l22 X 2,948,995 8/1960 Gogan 52747 X 2,952,129- 9/1960 Dempsay 52309 X 2,616,284 11/1952 Leontovich 52295 v FOREIGN PATENTS 576,628 5/1959 Canada. 376,308 7/ 1932 Great Britain.

28,458 12/ 1917 Norway.

HENRY C. SUTHERLAND, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

Po-ww UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION pate 3,460,308 Dated August 12, 1969 Inventor) F. c. Stucky et al It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2, line 7, "builling" should be building Column 3, line 47, "horizontally" should be horizontal Column 4, line 1, after "be-" insert tween the ends thereof which with the maximum plus line 2, "tolerances" should be tolerance line 37, delete "sur-" Column 5, line 67, after "heat" insert a hyphen Column 6, line 46, "desirable" should be desirably Column 9, line 18, delete "received in the holes and the peripheral surface of te" line 43, "Alternatievly" should be Alternatively line 54, "above" should be about Column 10, line 3 ,0 "claim" should be clamp line 36, "plain" should be plane SIGNED 1WD EALED my 12870 L I .I

AL) mm W M Eamanne 'm'" I. I m.

l I 0mm Omission- 0! Patent: 

